Liquid atomizers



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May '7, 1965 f WIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII July 18, 1967 R. FEDIT 3,331,559

LIQUID ATOMIZERS Filed May 7, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent C) 3,331,559 LIQUID ATOMIZERS Ren Fedit, Paris, France, assignor to Les Vaporisateurs Marcel Franck SA., Paris, France Filed May 7, 1965, Ser. No. 454,111 Claims priority, application France, May 12, 1964, 974,239 6 Claims. (Cl. 239-333) The present invention relates to liquid `atomizers comprising a piston pump mounted on a reservoir and wherein the piston moves on its suction stroke under the action of a -return spring. The invention is more especially, but not exclusively concerned with atomizers of this kind wherein the pump, disposed in the plug of a container, carries above it a push-piece the driving in of which produces the liquid delivery stroke of the piston.

The chief object of the present invention is to provide an atomizer of this kind which is better adapted than those known up to this time to meet the requirements of practice. v

The chief feature of the invention consists in closing the air intake of the reservoir, while stopping the passage through which the cylinder communicates with the delivery conduit leading to the atomizing nozzle by means of the piston of the pump when it is in its position of rest.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the portion of the inside of the cylinder which is located at the end thereof toward which the piston is urged by its return spring belongs to the air intake conduit of the reservoir and is of aring shape so that said air intake conduit is closed and the piston is not radially compressed when the piston is in its position of rest for which it is located in this porton of the cylinder.

According to another feature of the present invention, there is provided in the air intake conduit of the reservoir, a suction valve which opens only when there is produced, in the reservoir, a subatmospheric pressure due to the suction of the pump.

According to a third feature of the present invention, the piston rod extends axially through the cylinder and slides with a snug tit in a packing ring `disposed at the end of the cylinder and yforming a suction valve.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the appended drawings, given merely by way of example, and in which:

FIG. 1 is an axial sectional view of a portion of an atomizer made -according to a first embodiment `of the invention, the piston of the pump being at the end of its upward stroke;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the piston at the end of its downward stroke;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are views, similar to FIGS. 1 and 2 respectively, showing another embodiment of the invention.

The atomizer illustrated by the drawings is secured in a liuidtight manner on the neck 1 of a container.

The plug of the `atomizer contains an axial cylinder 2 in which is slidable a piston 3 connected through a rod 4 with a push-piece 5 located above the plug.

In cylinder 2, piston 3 is urged upwardly by a return spring 6.

Piston 3, in its position of rest, closes, on the one hand, the air intake 7, 8 of container 1 and, on the other hand, passage 9 through which delivery conduit 10 communicates with cylinder 2.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the upper end of cylinder 2, toward which piston 3 is urged by return spring 6, belongs to the air intake conduit of container 1, whereby this conduit is closed when piston 3 is in its position of rest.

ICC

The inlet orifice 7 of the air intake of container 1 consists of an opening provided in the closure piece 21 of cylinder 2, through which opening extends the control rod 4 of piston 3. The diameter of said rod 4 is smaller than that of said opening in closure piece 21, whereby intake orifice 7 is `of annular shape. On the other hand the diameter of said orice 7 is smaller than the diameter of piston 3 so that when said piston is applied against closure piece 21 by spring 6 it closes orifice 7.

Advantageously, delivery conduit 10 is located in rod 4 and communicates with passage 9 through which the liquid delivered by the pump reaches atomizing nozzle 11.

In the embodiment illustrated by FIG. 1, piston 3 is made of a iiexible and resilient material, such as rubber, polyethylene of the like, and it comprises, below the portion that cooperates with the wall of cylinder 2, a skirt 3, covering passage 9 in rod 4.

The whole is arranged in such manner that when, through push-piece 5, piston 3 is moved downwardly, its friction against said cylinder causes skirt 31 to move lightly away from rod 4, thus clearing passage 9 (FIG.

Skirt 31 thus plays the part of a delivery valve, controlled by the displacements of piston 3 in cylinder 2. The opening and the closing of said valve are thus made independent of the pressure existing in cylinder 2, which makes the operation of the pump safer and its actuation less diiiicult.

Advantageously the same arrangement is used for the intake valve.

For this purpose, rod 4 carries, beyond piston 3, in the downward direction, a rod 12 which extends axially into cylinder 2 and the free end of which is engaged with some clearance in a conduit 13 coaxial with cylinder 2 and in line therewith, forming a connection with Idipping tube 14. A rigid ring 15, surrounding rod 12 and applied by spring 6 against the lower end of cylinder 2 covers `an annular cavity 16 provided at the bottom of cylinder 2 and communicating with conduit 13. A packing ring 17 mounted slidable on rod 12 is housed with some play in annular recess 16. This ring 17 acts as a suction valve which is applied against the inlet of conduit 13 by rod 12 when piston 3 moves downwardly in cylinder 2.

The atomizer of FIGS. 1 and 2 works in the following manner.

First a cap 25 serving to moved.

Push-piece 5 is -moved downwardly. Piston 3 clears air intake 7, 8.

At the same time, ring 17 applied by rod 12 against the top edge 131 of suction conduit 13 cuts off the communication between cylinder 2 and the inside of container 1. Simultaneously the skirt 31 of piston `3 moves away from delivery conduit 9 (FIG. 2). The liquid present in cylinder 2 is ejected during the downward movement of piston 3 through conduits 9 and 10 and it is atomized when flowing to the outside through nozzle 11.

When push-piece 5 is released piston 3 is moved upwardly in cylinder 2 by return spring 6. At the beginning of this movement the skirt 31 of the piston, coming back upon conduit 9, stops delivery Iconduit 10, whereas rod 12 lifts ring 17 slightly away from the top of conduit 13. The liquid present in container 1 is thus sucked through tube 14, conduit 13 and recess 16, owing past ring 15 through a notch 151 provided in the periphery of said ring. The above described cycle of the pump may then be repeated by driving push-piece 5 downwardly.

When the operation is finished, the atomizer is automatically closed in a fluidtight manner by piston 3 which on the one hand stops the air intake by being applied against the edges of openings 7 and 8 and, on the protect push-piece 5 is reother hand, has its skirt 31 applied against the oriiice of conduit 9 which leads to nozzle 11.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4 the piston 18 of the pump is slidable along control rod 4a, so that it can be moved between two abutments 19 and 20.

Between said abutments 19 and 2G is located the orifice 9a, provided in rod 4a near the lower abut-ment 19, of delivery conduit a which leads to atomizing nozzle 11a. Thus, when rod 4a is pushed upwardly by return spring 6a, piston 1S, applied against abutment 19, stops outlet 9a but, as soon as push-piece 5a is moved downwardly, piston 18, braked by friction against cylinder 2a, slides on rod 4a until it comes into contact with abutment 20, opening outlet 9a (FIG. 4).

Outside of this the operation of the pump is analogous to that above described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 3 and 4, there is ifurther provided, in the air intake, a valve which opens only when, due to the suction of the pump there is a subatmospheric pressure in the container, which permits of atomizing the liquid whatever be the inclination of the container, without risk of the liquid flowing down by gravity through the air intake 7a, Sa.

For this purpose the air intake 8a of the container opens on the external wall of cylinder 2a through an opening 21 covered by a resilient sleeve 22, for instance of rubber, slipped on cylinder 2. In the embodiment that is shown by the drawings, sleeve 22 is rigid with the packing joint 23 of the plug which may be fixed on the container (not shown) in any suitable known manner, for instance by screwing, setting or the like. This embodiment has the vadvantage that air intake 8a and opening 21 may consist of mere grooves provided in cylinder 2 and covered by packing joint 23 and sleeve 22.

It will be understood that when the pump, by suction of the liquid, -creates a subatmospheric pressure in the container, the atmospheric pressure, transmitted through passages 7a, 8a, 21 under sleeve 22, lifts the latter and enters the container.

On the contrary, sleeve 22 opposes any .passage of air or liquid in the opposed direction.

In both of the above described embodiments, wherein the piston is made of a iiexible and resilient material, the upper end of cylinder 2 or 2a is advantageously given a flaring shape such as shown at 24 and 24a, respectively, so as to free the piston, in its position of rest, from any radial pressure in order to protect it against any deformation which might reduce its liquidtight iit in the cylinder.

In a general manner, while the above description discloses what are deemed to be practical and efficient embodiments of the present invention, said invention is not limited thereto as there might be changes made in the arrangement, disposition and form of the parts without departing from the principle of the invention as comprehended within the scope of the appended claims.

What I 4claim is:

1. An atomizer pump for use on a container of liquid to be atomized which comprises, in combination, Y

a cylinder adapted to be fixed in the neck of said container,

a piston of a exible and resilient material slidable in said cylinder to form therewith a pump chamber of variable volume,

conduit means for connecting the inside of said container with said pump chamber,

spring means between said cylinder and said piston `for urging said piston in a first direction toward its position in said cylinder where said pump chamber has its maximum volume,

la rod carrying said piston and coaxial therewith,

push-piece means rigid with said rod for driving said piston in a second direction toward its position in said cylinder where said pump chamber has its minimum volume,

valve means for closing said conduit means in response to the movement of said piston in said second direction,

an atomizing nozzle carried by said push-piece,

said rod being provided with a longitudinal conduit leading at one end to said atomizing nozzle and the other end of which opens into the outer surface of said rod through an orifice,

a deformable skirt carried by said piston adapted to -control said orifice to close it when said piston is moving in said first direction land to clear it when said piston is moving in said second direction, and

conduit means on the outside of said cylinder for connecting the external atmosphere with the inside of said container,

said piston being arranged to cooperate with said last mentioned conduit means to close them when `said piston is at the end of its movement in said irst direction.

2. An atomizer pump for use on a container of liquid to be atomized which comprises, in combination,

a cylinder adapted to be lixed in the neck of said con tainer,

a piston slidable in said cylinder to form therewith a pump chamber of variable volume,

first conduit means for connecting the inside of said container with said pum-p chamber,

spring means between said cylinder and said piston for urging said piston in a first direction toward its position in said cylinder Where said pump chamber has its maximum volume,

push-piece means fixed with respect to said piston for driving it in a second direction toward its position in said cylinder where said pump chamber has its minimum volume,

a rod rigid with said push4piece means and extending axially through said cylinder and into said iirst conduit means,

valve means between said pump chamber and said rst conduit means comprising an annular packing ring slidable on said rod with a snug fit for closing the communication between said pump cylinder Iand said conduit means in response to the movement of said piston in said second direction,

an atomizing nozzle,

second conduit means for connecting said pump chamber with said atomizing nozzle during the movement of said piston in said second direction, and

third conduit means on the outside of said cylinder for connecting the external atmosphere with the inside of said container,

said piston being arranged to cooperate with said second and third conduit means to close them when said piston is at the end of its movement in said rst direction.

3. An atomizer. pump for use on a container of liquid to be atomized which comprises, in combination,

a cylinder adapted to be fixed in the neck of said container,

a piston slidable in said cylinder to form pump chamber of variable volume,

iirst conduit means for connecting the inside of ksaid container with said pump chamber,

spring means between said cylinder and said piston for urging said piston in a first direction toward its position in said cylinder where said pump chamber has its maximum volume, Y

push-piece means fixed with respect to said piston for driving it in a second direction toward its position in said cylinder where said pump chamber has its minimum volume,

valve means for closing the communication Ibetween said pump cylinder and said conduit means in response to the movement of said piston in said second direction,

therewith a an atomizing nozzle,

second conduit means for connecting said pump cham- -ber with said atomizing nozzle during the movement of said piston in said second direction, and

third conduit means on the outside of said cylinder for connecting the external atmosphere with the inside of said container,

said piston being arranged to cooperate with said second and third conduit means to close them when said piston is at the end of its movement in said iirst direction,

said piston Iheing made of a ilexible and resilient ma terial compressed radially in said pump cylinder, the end of the cylindrical wall of said cylinder close to its upper end wall being of Haring shape.

4. A liquid atomizer according to claim 3 wherein the axial height of said piston is substantially of the same order of magnitude as the height in the axial direction of the aring portion of the cylindrical wall of said cylinder.

S. A liquid atomizer according to claim 3 wherein said third conduit means comprise a longitudinal groove provided in the external surface of said cylinder, Ifurther References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,117,700 1/1964 Gorman 239-350 XR 3,161,329 12/1964 Fedit et al. 239-333 XR 3,194,447 7/1965 Brown 239-333 XR 3,239,151 3/1966 Boris 239-333 3,248,022 4/1966 Schulman et al. 239-333 XR IM. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner. V. M. WIGMAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN ATOMIZER PUMP FOR USE ON A CONTAINER OF LIQUID TO BE ATOMIZED COMPRISES, IN COMBINATION, A CYLINDER ADAPTED TO BE FIXED IN THE NECK OF SAID CONTAINER, A PISTON OF A FLEXIBLE AND RESILIENT MATERIAL SLIDABLE IN SAID CYLINDER TO FORM THEREWITH A PUMP CHAMBER OF VARIABLE VOLUME, CONDUIT MEANS FOR CONNECTING THE INSIDE OF SAID CONTAINER WITH SAID PUMP CHAMBER, SPRING MEANS BETWEEN SAID CYLINDER AND SAID PISTON FOR URGING SAID PISTON IN A FIRST DIRECTION TOWARD ITS POSITION IN SAID CYLINDER WHERE SAID PUMP CHAMBER HAS ITS MAXIMUM VOLUME, A ROD CARRYING SAID PISTON AND COAXIAL THEREWITH, PUSH-PIECE MEANS RIGID WITH SAID ROD FOR DRIVING SAID PISTON IN A SECOND DIRECTION TOWARD ITS POSITION IN SAID CYLINDER WHERE SAID PUMP CHAMBER HAS ITS MINIMUM VOLUME, VALVE MEANS FOR CLOSING SAID CONDUIT MEANS IN RESPONSE TO THE MOVEMENT OF SAID PISTON IN SAID SECOND DIRECTION, AN ATOMIZING NOZZLE CARRIED BY SAID PUSH-PIECE, SAID ROD BEING PROVIDED WITH A LONGITUDINAL CONDUIT LEADING AT ONE END TO SAID ATOMIZING NOZZLE AND THE OTHER END OF WHICH OPENS INTO THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID ROD THROUGH AN ORIFICE, A DEFORMABLE SKIRT CARRIED BY SAID PISTON ADAPTED TO CONTROL SAID ORIFICE TO CLOSE IT WHEN SAID PISTON IS MOVING IN SAID FIRST DIRECTION AND TO CLEAR IT WHEN SAID PISTON IS MOVING IN SAID DIRECTION, AND CONDUIT MEANS ON THE OUTSIDE OF SAID CYLINDER FOR CONNECTING THE EXTERNAL ATMOSPHERE WITH THE INSIDE OF SAID CONTAINER; SAID PISTON BEING ARRANGED TO COOPERATE WITH SAID LAST MENTIONED CONDUIT MEANS TO CLOSE THEM WHEN SAID PISTON IS AT THE END OF ITS MOVEMENT IN SAID FIRST DIRECTION. 